How to land your dream job

Whether you’re working towards your future career or looking for your first job after graduation, job seeking can feel like a difficult and time-consuming task. But before you give up and settle for any job that comes your way, there are a few things you can do to change your approach.

From starting out on the job hunt to nailing the interview, here are five ways to land your dream job.

1. Master the art of job hunting

Whether done in-person or online, there’s more than one way to look for your dream job.

• Set up job alerts on LinkedIn and job posting websites such as Seek and Indeed.
• Contact a business or company directly to enquire about potential vacancies.
• Apply for an internship or volunteer a few hours of your time each week.
• If you’re just about to graduate, speak with university support services for career advice.
• Contact a recruiter and let them know what kind of job you’re looking for.

Some companies also host job fairs and career networking events. If you’ve got a specific company in mind, check out their website for a listing of upcoming events and be sure to attend.

When at a networking or recruiter event, make connections with as many people as you can to make your name and face familiar.

2. Do your research

Before diving right into a job application, you want to make sure your values align with those of the organisation you’re interested in.

Doing your research into a business or company you are interested in will first and foremost help you to determine if it’s the kind of organisation you actually want to work for. After all, it’s meant to be your dream job, right?

If they seem legit and you’re still interested, it’s time to tidy up your resume.

3. Write a killer resume

In many cases, it’s best to tailor your resume each time you apply for a new job to ensure the content is relevant to the position and organisation. Make sure your resume is simple and easy to read, and be sure to include any volunteer and internship experience.

In addition to your resume, it also helps to build out your LinkedIn profile. Consider how you can improve your profile picture, profile summary, and descriptions of your work experience to make your profile stand out.

With your resume and LinkedIn profile ready to go, you can then work on perfecting your job application cover letter.

4. Clean up your online presence

LinkedIn isn’t the only place a potential employer may be inspecting. Take a look at your social media profiles from an employer’s point of view and do an audit of all your accounts, deactivate ones you no longer use, and change your privacy settings to keep your profiles private.

If you prefer to keep your profiles public, make sure the content that is accessible on your profiles is appropriate.

5. Prepare for the interview

The candidates that look most appealing on paper and do well in an interview appear the most well-prepared because they are. With that in mind, here are some interview preparation tips:

• Get familiar with current events and trends in the industry.
• Do your best to understand the job position description and the tasks that come with it.
• Get to know what the company is all about by looking at their website and following their social media pages. With a better understanding of the company’s background, you’ll be able to provide insightful perspectives on a new company product or acquisition, for example.
• Get advice from people in the know – reach out to people already working in the industry for advice on relevant things to keep in mind when having an interview.
• Before you’re even scheduled, conduct a practice interview with a friend or family member.

While the job search and application process can sometimes feel overwhelming, the key things to remember are to cast your net wide when on the lookout for new positions, and to keep your resume content simple, relevant, and appropriate.